1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to microcapsules filled with dye, used in an image-forming substrate, in which the microcapsules are formed as a layer of microcapsules, with an image being formed by selectively squashing and compacting the microcapsules in the layer of microcapsules, and also relates to a process of producing the microcapsules.
2. Description of the Related Art
In a conventional type of image-forming substrate coated with a layer of microcapsules filled with dye or ink, a shell of each microcapsule is formed from a suitable photo-setting resin, and an optical image is recorded and formed as a latent image on the layer of microcapsules by exposing it to light rays in accordance with image-pixel signals. Then, the latent image is developed by exerting a pressure on the layer of microcapsules. Namely, the microcapsules, which are not exposed to the light rays, are broken, whereby the dye or ink discharges out of the broken microcapsules, and thus the latent image is visually developed by the discharging of the dye or ink.
Conventionally, when a microcapsule is broken, it is impossible to adjust an amount of dye or ink that discharges out of the broken microcapsule. Namely, it is impossible to obtain a variation in density (gradation) of a dot to be produced by the broken microcapsules.
Also, each of the conventional image-forming substrates must be packed so as to be protected from being exposed to light, resulting in a wastage of materials. Further, the image-forming substrates must be handled such that they are not subjected to excess pressure due to the softness of unexposed microcapsules, resulting in an undesired discharging of the dye or ink.